don’t despair, the forum is a bit quiet at this time of year with Xmas and new year. did you do a google for a ‘queen bee supplier in Sydney area’? there is at least one in the Richmond area who has Italian strain queens.
cheers

Hi Peter, all good- I’ve found a lovely gentlemen yesterday who has provided a nuc hive with new Italian queen Yay! I think my virgin queen must have died on the way back in the recent hailstorms or something.

Excellent news Vicky, Insect eating birds are probably the major reason for bees not getting back to a hive but hailstorm will have the same result. Swallows, butcher birds and magpies are lovers of bees. I don’t mind them coming for a few minutes late each day if they are hungry.
Cheers

Oh, my poor queen- I have a family of magpies nesting in a large gumtree nearby, she didn’t stand a chance! Ahh well, it’s Mother Nature Have a lovely final day of 2018 tomorrow and wishing you an awesome new year Peter!